How to Learn Python for Beginners: A Step-by-Step Guide

A decade ago, I was a fresh college grad armed with a history degree and not much else. Fast forward to today, and Im a successful machine learning engineer, data science and deep learning consultant, and founder of Dataquest.

Currently, I am working on some deep learning projects, Marker and Surya. But let me be real with you—it wasnt all smooth sailing. My journey to learn Python was long, filled with setbacks, and often frustrating.

If I could turn back time, Id do things much differently. This article will guide you through the steps to learning Python the right way. If I had this information when I started, it would have fast-tracked my career, saved thousands of hours of wasted time, and prevented much stress.

Read this article, bookmark it, and then read it again. Its the only Python learning guide youll ever need.

Learning Python can seem daunting at first. With unfamiliar terms like lists, tuples, dictionaries, and more, it’s easy to get overwhelmed as a beginner But Python is one of the best programming languages to learn, especially for beginners

In this guide, I’ll walk you through how to start learning Python from scratch, step-by-step. By the end, you’ll have a solid foundation in Python and be ready to build real projects Let’s get started!

Why Learn Python?

Before diving in, let’s first go over some of the main reasons why Python is a great first programming language to learn:

Beginner-friendly syntax Python code reads more like English and is intuitive to understand. The syntax uses whitespace indentation instead of brackets which makes code neat and easy to follow.
Huge community: Python has a large active community of users. This means there are many tutorials, libraries, and help forums available when you get stuck.
Versatile uses: You can build web apps, data science projects, AI, automation scripts, and more with Python. It’s used by NASA, Google, Netflix, and other major companies.
High-demand skill: Python developers are in high demand in the job market. Learning Python can open up opportunities in many industries.
Transferable skills: The core programming concepts you learn with Python apply to other languages too. This makes it easy to pick up new languages later.

Step 1: Install Python

The first step is to install Python on your computer. Here’s how:

Windows: Download the Python installer from the official website. Run the installer and make sure to check the box to add Python to your environment path.
Mac: Recent versions of macOS come with Python 2 pre-installed. But it’s outdated so you should install Python 3. Use Homebrew or download the installer from the Python website.
Linux: Python usually comes pre-installed on Linux. To make sure you have the latest version, use your distro’s package manager, e.g. apt, yum, etc.

Open up your terminal or command prompt and run python --version to verify you have Python 3 installed.

Step 2: Set Up a Code Editor

You’ll need a good code editor to write Python programs. Don’t use basic text editors like Notepad or TextEdit.

Some popular free code editors for Python are:

Visual Studio Code: Powerful and fully-featured editor. Has great Python support through extensions.
Sublime Text: Lightweight but robust editor. Fast and responsive.
Atom: Made by GitHub. Customizable and hackable.
PyCharm: Full-fledged Python IDE by JetBrains. Free community edition available.

Install any one of these editors and open up a new file with .py extension to start coding.

Step 3: Learn Python Syntax Basics

Now it’s time to write your first Python program! Let’s go over some basics of Python syntax:

Python is case-sensitive – name and Name are different variables.
Use meaningful variable names like student_count instead of x or y.
The main flow control statements are if, elif, else, for, and while. Indentation is used instead of brackets.
Functions are declared with def function_name(): and called with function_name().
Comments start with #. Multiline strings are enclosed in triple quotes """.
Lists are defined with [], tuples with (), and dicts with {}.

Here’s a simple Python program to print “Hello World!”:

python

print("Hello World!")

Run this in your editor, save it as hello.py, and execute it by running python hello.py in your terminal.

That covers the basics! For a more in-depth intro, go through the Python tutorial on the official docs.

Step 4: Learn Core Python Concepts

Now that you have the basics down, it’s time to go deeper into the main concepts and features of the Python language:

Data types: Integers, floats, strings, booleans, lists, tuples, dicts. Convert between types using int(), str(), etc.
Variables: Store data in variables like name = "John Doe". Re-assign values later.
Operators: Arithmetic, comparison, and logical operators like +, >=, and, or.
Control flow: Use if/else statements, for and while loops to control program flow.
Functions: Reuse code by defining functions with def. Pass arguments and return values.
Classes: Define custom data types using classes and objects.
Modules: Import modules like math and random to add extra functionality.
File I/O: Open, read, and write to files using built-in functions like open() and print().

Spend time playing with each of these concepts in Python. Look up tutorials online for anything you don’t understand.

Mastering these core building blocks will give you a solid base in Python.

Step 5: Practice with Example Projects

Once you have a good grasp on Python basics, the best way to improve is by building projects.

Here are some beginner-friendly project ideas:

Mad Libs game: Create a story template with blank fields. Prompt users to enter words, then display the completed silly story.
Guess the Number: Generate a random number. Allow the user to guess until they get it right.
Hangman game: Choose a random word. Let the user guess letters until they can figure out the full word.
Dice simulator: Simulate rolling dice. Generate random numbers each dice roll.
Calendar app: Display calendar for any given month. Highlight specific dates.
Countdown timer: Accept time value in minutes from user. Count down to 0.

For each project, break it down into small pieces first. Don’t dive right into coding. Use pen and paper to plan out the steps you need.

Then write the code for each piece one-by-one. See if you can re-use functions instead of duplicating code. Refer to tutorials if you need help along the way.

Completing small projects will teach you practical Python skills and give you portfolio pieces to show off!

Step 6: Learn Python Standard Library

After getting familiar with Python basics, spend some time exploring the Python standard library.

The standard library contains modules for common tasks like:

os: Interact with operating system dependent functionality.
sys: System-specific info like command line arguments.
math: Mathematical functions like sqrt(), ceil().
random: Generate pseudo-random numbers.
datetime: Work with dates and time.
json: Encode and decode JSON data.
re: Regular expressions for pattern matching in text.
statistics: Calculate mean, median, correlation, etc.

Browse the full standard library docs to see what’s available. Learn a few useful modules deeply instead of trying to understand everything.

The standard library along with Python’s huge ecosystem of packages on PyPI make almost any task possible.

Step 7: Learn Object-Oriented Programming

Python is an object-oriented programming (OOP) language.

OOP allows you to model real-world entities using classes and objects. This is crucial for building large, modular programs.

Some key OOP concepts in Python are:

Class: Blueprint for objects. Define attributes and methods.
Object: Instance of a class. Can store data as attributes.
Method: Functions defined in a class. Operate on objects.
Inheritance: Child classes inherit attributes and methods from parent classes.
Polymorphism: Child classes can override inherited methods.
Encapsulation: Group related attributes and methods into a class. Prevent external access.

Start by modeling simple objects using classes. For example a Student class with name, id, GPA attributes and a calculate_gpa() method.

Slowly learn more advanced OOP like inheritance and polymorphism. This will take some time to grasp, so be patient!

Step 8: Write Clean, Readable Code

Beyond just functionality, writing clean code is essential in Python. Here are some tips:

Follow the PEP 8 style guide for naming, spacing, etc. Use a linter like pycodestyle.
Use descriptive names for variables, functions, classes. Avoid abbreviations.
Break down large functions into smaller, single-purpose functions.
Add comments to explain complex blocks of code. Use docstrings for functions.
Limit line length to around 79 characters to avoid horizontal scrolling.
Name classes/functions using Camel

learn how to use python

Tips to Discover Captivating Python Projects

I know it can feel daunting to find a good Python project to work on. Here are some tips to finding interesting projects:

Extend the projects you were working on before and add more functionality.
Check out our list of Python projects for beginners.
Go to Python meetups in your area and find people working on interesting projects.
Find open-source packages to contribute to.
See if any local nonprofits are looking for volunteer developers.
Find projects other people have made and see if you can extend or adapt them. Github is a good place to start.
Browse through other people’s blog posts to find interesting project ideas.
Think of tools that would make your everyday life easier. Then, build them.

Need more inspiration? Here are 60 python project ideas to jumpstart your creativity:

A map that visualizes election polling by state
An algorithm that predicts the local weather
A tool that predicts the stock market
An algorithm that automatically summarizes news articles

learn how to use python

An app to track how far you walk every day
An app that sends you weather notifications
A real-time, location-based chat

A site that helps you plan your weekly meals
A site that allows users to review video games
A note-taking platform

A location-based mobile game, in which you capture territory
A game in which you solve puzzles through programming

Sensors that monitor your house remotely
A smarter alarm clock
A self-driving robot that detects obstacles

A script to automate data entry
A tool to scrape data from the web

The key is to pick something and do it. If you get too hung up on finding the perfect project, you risk never starting one.

My first independent project consisted of adapting my automated essay-scoring algorithm from R to Python. It didnt look pretty, but it gave me a sense of accomplishment and started me on the road to building my skills.

Obstacles are inevitable. As you build your project, you will encounter problems and errors with your code. Here are some resources to help you.

Do you have any tips on learning Python faster?

If youre learning Python on your own, creative time-management habits will be very helpful — especially if you want to learn Python sooner rather than later. While five hours may seem like a lot to fit into your already-busy weekly schedule, its very achievable for someone working a full-time job — or with a full calendar of school commitments. Here are a few ways you might find the spare hours …

Set your alarm alock for 30 minutes earlier: The best time you can set aside to learn Python each day is in the morning. Biologically, your best, most productive time is around the first two hours of each day. You dont want to sacrifice any sleep, but you may want to get to bed earlier so you can practice a bit before work. Its a commitment, for sure. But, if you set aside your clothes the night before, have your coffee ready to go, and already know what aspects of Python you are going to work on, its a bit easier. Tell yourself that you cant look at your phone or emails until you dedicate 30 minutes to learning Python, and make it a habit! The time it saves and the advancement in your career will be worth the extra effort. As an added benefit, youll feel extra healthy when you get a productive head start on your day.

Log off your evening Netflix habit: If you already wake up at 5 am to get to work each day, waking up earlier may not be the best option for you. In that case, you might take the first two hours when you get home from work each day to learn Python. If you’re overwhelmed by the idea of finding two hours between your commute, gym, dinnertime, and downtime, spend a week really looking at how you spend your evenings. Write down exactly what you did each day this week:
- How much time did you spend on Netflix?
- Did you waste a few hours on social media?
- Did you get lost scrolling through Amazon?
- Can you prepare your meals on Sunday to cut back on weeknight cooking?

Take advantage of quiet Saturday mornings: Weve seen that practicing every day is the best way to master Python as quickly as possible. Its important to be consistent, but sometimes life gets in the way. Thats what weekends are for. If youre completely booked from 5 am to 6 pm every day, you can keep yourself on track by putting in extra hours on the weekend. Plus, this is a great way to find uninterrupted time in a space youve dedicated just for learning Python. One thing to keep in mind: studying two hours a day is far better than ten hours in one day on the weekend. If you have other commitments during the week, even ten minutes each morning will make a difference compared to only looking at Python materials once a week.

Join A Community of Python Programmers: Joining a community of Python developers will help you stay on track toward your goal to learn Python. Python meetups are fairly common on Meetup.com, and youll get recommendations from other members of these groups. Additionally, Dataquests students use our Members community to network and discuss Python problems, troubleshooting, and data science portfolio projects. If you carve out a few minutes each day for networking, youll complete your coursework with a new skill and a new network as you enter the job market!

Find a Project you are interested in working on: The best way to learn how to complete data projects is by building data projects. Dataquest learners spend their time working through real-world data challenges that teach learners to combine multiple skills and tools to solve a problem or accomplish a task. Projects created out of genuine curiosity stand out, as opposed to those made just for the sake of it. Take your time to find a topic that captures your attention or choose from hundreds of guided projects on the Dataquest learning platform.

Compete on Kaggle: Kaggle hosts data science competitions. Signing up is free, and members submit Python scripts to find the best model for a given dataset. Youll find a lot of competitions with objectives similar to the guided projects in your Dataquest portfolio. If youre one of those Fortnite fans we mentioned above, collaborating with other Dataquest students on Kaggle competitions can help replace some of your game time in a way that helps you learn Python without losing that competitive fix!

Python for Beginners – Learn Python in 1 Hour

How do I learn Python?

There is a fairly brief tutorial that gives you basic information about the language and gets you started. You can follow this by looking at the library reference for a full description of Python’s many libraries and the language reference for a complete (though somewhat dry) explanation of Python’s syntax.

What is learnpython?

Welcome to the LearnPython.org interactive Python tutorial. Whether you are an experienced programmer or not, this website is intended for everyone who wishes to learn the Python programming language. You are welcome to join our group on Facebook for questions, discussions and updates.

How do I get Started with Python?

Before getting started, you may want to find out which IDEs and text editors are tailored to make Python editing easy, browse the list of introductory books, or look at code samples that you might find helpful. There is a list of tutorials suitable for experienced programmers on the BeginnersGuide/Tutorials page.

How do I learn Python for data science?

Learn Data Science by completing interactive coding challenges and watching videos by expert instructors. Start Now! This site is generously supported by DataCamp. DataCamp offers online interactive Python Tutorials for Data Science. Join 11 million other learners and get started learning Python for data science today! Good news!